1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vehicle diagnostic system, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for providing vehicle component fault scoring.
2. Description of the Related Art
Transportation means are a required part of everyday life in many parts of the world and, in particular, urban environments. Such transportation means include, for example, public transit systems, commercial fleets, and rental agencies. It is important for managers of such transportation means to be aware of the maintenance and performance of vehicles in their fleet so that the transit system may continue to operate on a predetermined transit schedule, for example. However, due to the number of vehicles and the number of vehicle components that must be monitored and maintained, it is difficult to sustain a current diagnostic, maintenance, and/or performance log.
It is also beneficial for managers to be aware of diagnostics relating to maintenance, and/or performance issues that repeatedly occur in specific vehicle types or components, or at specific vehicle dispatch points or depots. Specifically, maintenance and operations departments need to quickly assess risk and prioritize workflow. It is critical to maximize an available transit fleet for revenue service. In order to maintain enough vehicles for revenue service, a maintenance department requires diagnostic information necessary to focus mechanics on vehicles that have the greatest risk of failure. However, when there are not enough vehicles in a state of good repair to support revenue service, the operations department may be required to request vehicles from the maintenance department. The maintenance department again requires diagnostic information to assess risk and provide vehicles to satisfy the service demand.